Former Notre Dame tight end Durham Smythe is expected to be drafted in the late rounds.
Durham Smythe may not have some of the gaudy numbers we’ve grown accustomed to at the tight end position, but NFL teams still see value in his old school skill set.
Smythe is a throwback at his position — a tight end who is a capable receiver yet excels as a blocker. That comination has added value near the goal line. Defenses are forced to focus on the fact that he’s in the game to essentially blast open a hole in a short yardage situation, but they also need to be ready to cover him in the event that he sneaks out into the flat or the middle of the field.
Smythe is the sort of player who won’t win his fantasy owners many games in the NFL, but will be in the league for a long time — helping his actual team move the ball in an unsung role.
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Taking a look at the two deepest mock drafts on the web, it appears Smythe will be drafted — likely in the later rounds. Here’s where Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller and WalterFootball.com have Smythe projected in next month’s NFL Draft.
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: Miller has Smythe going in Round 6 at pick No. 208 to the Dallas Cowboys. This makes a lot of sense, considering Dallas’ heavy reliance on the run game.
WalterFootball.com: This mock has Smythe going in Round 5 at pick No. 146 to the Seattle Seahawks. That wouldn’t be a terrible scenario, as Smythe would likely be a key piece of what appears to be a rebuilding effort in Seattle.
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Of the two projections, I like Smythe going to Dallas more than Seattle. He would have a better chance to be on a championship team early in his career and make a name for himself in a city that loves its hard-working role players on its teams.